


I can't help this awful energy.

by arfrid



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: All Board the Angst train!, Angst, Blood, Cursed Luz Noceda, Emperor Belos more like Emperor Bitch, Gen, Mild Gore, Minor Amity Blight/Luz Noceda, More angst, Nothing too explicit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:02:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27336106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arfrid/pseuds/arfrid
Summary: Luz gets captured, and Belos uses his powers to hurt as many of the Owl House residents as possible, especially Eda Clawthorne.
Relationships: Amity Blight & Luz Noceda & Willow Park & Gus Porter, Amity Blight/Luz Noceda, Eda Clawthorne & Luz Noceda, Lilith Clawthorne & Amity Blight, Lilith Clawthorne & Everyone, Luz Noceda & Amity Blight
Comments: 10
Kudos: 109





	1. I'm bigger than my demons.

**Author's Note:**

> two in one day? whaaat?
> 
> anyways this is an idea from tol-critter, thank them!
> 
> TW: Mild Gore and too much angst

Luz had just wanted to get some Apple Blood for Eda.

Of course, the Emperor’s Coven was having _none_ of that. No ‘acting like a normal person just wanting some Apple Blood’, no, of _course_ not.

She had been doing pretty well, using her fire and ice glyphs to burn or freeze the stupid servant-people. Then that person – or, demon – had come along. They had a white cape and cowl, and a golden mask.

Assuming that this one was just as easy to defeat as the rest, she charged, preparing an ice glyph under her hand.

_Boy_ , was she wrong.

They disappeared in a flash of green light – like Eda and Lilith during the battle – and as Luz was looking around for them, they blasted her to the alley wall. They snapped their fingers and suddenly the Latina had her wrists, neck and feet tied golden chains. She tried to reach her glyph, but a burning sensation in her throat stopped her short. She let out a scream and stopped searching for the glyphs. Immediately, the sensation went away.

“ _Who_ are you?! _Why_ are you doing this?!” She asked through gritted teeth.

They didn’t respond, merely staring down at her through the golden mask. She felt feathers on her skin and grinned. Oh, they were going to have to deal with the Owlet.

They touched her and snapped their fingers once more. Fire seemed to engulf them, but they dissipated and she was in the Emperor’s Room.

“ **Ah, Eda’s little human pet**.” Came a voice, **“So glad you could join us today.”**

She looked up to see the Emperor himself, his mask newly made. She vaguely wondered if he bought it from a store, and just the _idea_ of the Emperor in a shopping line made her start laughing. Belos narrowed his eyes at her.

“ **You’ve done well, little assistant.”** He told the gold-masked one, patting them on the shoulder. Mr. Gold-Mask decided this was the cue to leave, and they did, giving Belos a bow before exiting the room.

“So what are ya gonna do? _Kill me_?” She snorted, “Even _you_ wouldn’t be able to run from Eda’s wrath.”

“ **I agree. However tempting, it would be unwise to kill you, at least straight away. You are of use to me yet.”** Belos announced. A shiver ran down Luz’s spine, and she felt like Belos knew all about her, her memories, her insecurities, her _friends_. Belos let out a little laugh and slid into the floor, then in front of her. Rage bubbled inside her, reminding her of everything Emperor _Bitch_ had done.

It was with absolute disgust as Belos put his hands to her temples. She thrashed, and kicked, and struggled, but it felt like Belos was made of iron. **“This is going to be enjoyable.”**

“Jeez, how long does it take for a kid to get Apple Blood?” Eda said aloud. Amity looked up from the Azura book. Willow stopped making mini-sculptures out of potted plants. Gus flopped on the sofa.

Amity frowned, “Yeah, it’s kind of strange for her to be this late, especially with The Good Witch Azura meetings.”

Willow’s flower drooped, showing her mood. “You don’t think… You don’t think anything bad has happened to Luz, do you?”

Tense silence filled the room, when King answered from above the fridge he was sitting on. “Eh, Luz’ll be fine. She’s the best witch apprentice on the Boiling Isles. And she can hold her own in a fight, I’ve seen her.”

“I’ve _fought_ her, and she almost beat me.” Lilith added.

Worry was still pooled in Eda’s stomach. Luz never _usually_ took this long. What if the curse… No, it did no good to dwell on the What-If’s.

_What if Belos captured her,_ a nasty voice in her head said, _and she’s gone?_

“Shut up.” King suddenly said, interrupting her thoughts.

“What?” Willow said, getting up from her spot by the potted plant and frowning. “What’s–?”

“I said _shut up_. Listen.” He snapped. Eda listened.

Silence followed.

Nothing sounded apart from the faint wind rustling the trees outside.

Hooty slid inside. “I think you need to get your hearing checked, hoot hoot-!”

Then there was a window smash from upstairs. There was moment of silence, apart from Hooty’s indignant “Ow! Hoot!”

In less than a second, everyone was rushing up the stairs, Gus picking King up.

Then there was a roar, and everyone stood as still as statues. Eda’s stomach dropped. That was _definitely_ Luz.

There was silence except for deep breathing coming from Eda’s room. She had known Owlet Luz for ages, heck, she’d even picked her up as the Owl Beast more than once!

But the dread, the feeling that something was desperately, terribly wrong wouldn’t go away.

“What do we do?” Willow whisper-shouted. “That didn’t sound like a happy roar.”

“I’ll go in.” Amity volunteered.

“Absolutely not.” Eda whispered back.

“No way!” Gus told her.

“I forbid it!” Lilith whisper-shouted.

“Amity, no.” Willow reasoned. “I have a feeling she wouldn’t even recognize _you_.”

“She always does!” Amity whisper-shouted. “Come on, I have the best shot. Besides, I have Abomination Magic that can hold her down if things go south!”

There was a brief, silent argument between Lilith and Amity. Eventually it seemed to settle as Lilith spat, “ _Fine_.” and looked away.

“Good luck!” Willow said, and Eda and Gus gave her a thumbs-up. Amity gave one back and walked into Eda’s room. They heard Amity start to reason with Luz.

“Hey, Luz. I’m guessing you’re in a bad mood- maybe some Emperor Coven people tried to fight you? Or maybe it was Boscha. Honestly, I wouldn’t blame you if you were in a bad mood after being with her.” Amity started to reason.

Eda thought it was working. The deep, jagged breathing reduced into small huffs of air.

Then there was a scream from both of them; one an angry roar, the other a scream of fear.

There was the sound of talons swishing, and Lilith ran towards the doorway to Eda’s room, but Eda herself beat her to it.

What she saw stunned her: Amity was cowering in a corner, and Luz’s big furry back was facing them. The witch’s pristine clothes were ripped at the shoulder with three ugly slash marks that must have been Luz’s talons.

“Luz?” Eda called out hesitantly. “Kid, is that… you?”

The Owlet turned to her, a controlled ferality in her expression, but there was something even worse: in the coal-black of her apprentice’s eyes, her right one had a bright glowing round hue in a ring shape.

When Luz saw her, the ferality only increased. The Owlet launched at her, but was blocked by a sudden wood wall in the way. Willow had her hand put on the wooden floor. The little screech of pain broke Eda’s heart, but she needed to focus on other things, such as the girl cowering in the corner of her room.

Eda wasn’t surprised to see Lilith already there, comforting her. Her sister flinched when she was showed the injury, but now Eda’s attention was at Luz, who launched herself towards the other two children in the vicinity.

Gus put his hand out and summoned multiple illusions of Eda, and Luz immediately changed tack, slashing at each Fake Eda until they disappeared.

Then, Eda did something she thought she’d never do to her kid.

She tackled her, getting her hands around Luz’s neck.

Luz roared like a crazy giraffe (boy, did she hate _those_ animals) and attempted to butt her off her back.

“Luz!” Eda shouted from Luz’s back. “Luz, what are you _doing_?! You _hurt Amity_!”

That made the Owlet Luz stop.

At first, Eda thought she’d gotten through to the girl.

Then Luz ran backwards, smashing Eda into a wall. Eda cried out in pain.

“Eda!” Came several voices at once, but she didn’t register their voices… have those white spots in her vision always been there?

There was a roar, and then a groan from an abomination. Eda carefully opened her eyes to see tree trunks trapping Owluz like ropes, with Amity’s abomination holding her down. Luz didn’t stop struggling, but she wasn’t strong enough for the inch-thick wood keeping her in place.

“Luz…” Eda said. The spots in her vision disappeared, and she looked at her cursed apprentice. Her heart sank, deeper than it had when she had seen Luz at the Conformatorium.

A groan of pain from a young female witch somehow averted her attention. The young Blight had sunk down the behind her with exhaustion and pain. The three slash marks looked a brighter red, and blood was streaming down her sleeve.

“Hooty!” She shouted, and sure enough, the bird demon came through the broken window.

“Hi Eda! Ouch, Luz looks pretty uncomfortable. Maybe you should–” Hooty said.

“Hooty, we’ve got no time for chit-chat, get Amity some medicine and disinfectant, _pronto_. Steal from stores if ya have to. And if you see any from the Emperor’s Coven-”

“Destroy them! Hoot hoot!” Hooty looked thrilled at the idea of beating (his version of _meeting_ ) people from the Emperor’s Coven. And with that, he slid out.

Amity groaned, one more of annoyance than pain. “Ugh, I’m gonna have to owe that _bird-tube_.”

Eda walked towards Luz. Willow and Gus had been kneeling next to the girl, but they hadn’t provoked large reactions – maybe a snap or two, but nothing compared to when Eda came into her sight. She roared and growled and thrashed, and her cold black eyes were filled with such hatred, it made Eda flinch.

Something about Luz’s right eye – the glowing ring of blue – reminded her of something, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

Hooty swished through the window with bandages, a sling, disinfectant and enough painkillers to give someone an overdose in his mouth. He dropped them all up on the floor and proudly announced, “I got the stuff hoot hoot! Beat up some friends! I hope Amity likes my little-” He gagged like a cat throwing up a hairball, but then a saliva-covered lollipop came up instead and dropped on the floor along with the medical items. “-gift!”

Everyone stared in stunned, disgusted silence, until Eda said, “Scram, Hooty.”

“Okay!” He shouted cheerfully, sliding back out.

“That…” Willow started, seemingly at a loss for words.

“Was disgusting.” Amity finished. “I am _not_ eating that.”

Eda just grabbed the things and walked over to Amity, passing them to Lily.

“Have a painkiller.” Eda offered to Amity, who gladly accepted one.

“Clean, disinfect, bandage.” Lilith kept repeating to herself. “Clean…” She wiped the blood clean off the young witchling’s arm. “Disinfect…” Amity grit her teeth, and Eda grabbed her hand, and the girl squeezed it tight. “Bandage.”

Eda passed her the bandages and tore off the remaining fabric of the clothes’ shoulder and started bandaging.

Amity let out a pained groan, then held out her hand. “Another painkiller?”

After being satisfied that Amity was alright, Lilith came over and looked over Luz, who snapped at her so much that branches covered the girl’s mouth.

Lilith looked over Luz’s eye, getting dangerously close. Eda let out a soft snarl when Lilith grabbed Luz’s head and looked her over, despite rationally knowing that Luz wasn’t in any harm.

Her sister stayed silent the whole time, checking Luz’s wings and body for physical damage, and when she eventually reached the face, after a minute, realization seemed to dawn on her. She gasped and stepped back.

“What?” Amity and Eda asked at the same time. “What is it?”

Lilith looked too horrified to speak. She took another step back, and fearful tears gathered in her eyes.

“No… He… He would not… That.. That Magic is forbidden… not… No…” Lilith said.

“What is it?” Amity asked. They both stepped forward, kneeling in front of Luz and next to Lilith. “Is it some kind of disease, or- or a side effect of being–”

“No.” Eda said. “This never happened to me while I was beast. What is it? Spit it out, Lily!”

Lilith seemed to regain composure, at least a little bit.

“She is…” Lilith gulped. “She’s under the control of Emperor Belos. The most dangerous, forbidden spell. _Imperium possessionem cum dolore animi_.”


	2. All the help we can get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am back from the dead

“So what’s this spell-thing you said?” Eda asked, still confused. “ _Imperium possessionem_ of dolores anime or something?”

Lilith hissed. “Don’t say it out loud!” She sighed. “It’s… an ancient spell not many know about. As head of the Coven, it was my duty to know about ancient dangerous spells, on the off-chance one would occur. In all my time as Head of Coven I… I’ve had to end some who used far too dangerous spells… But none as grave as  _this_ …”

Everyone stared at her, and Lilith blushed slightly under the attention, but the red disappeared as her face darkened. “It’s forbidden. A battle of wills. Taking away someone’s free will… I would never  _believe_ Belos would… Even  _he_ wouldn’t… Anyways. The stronger the witch, the harder it is to fight against it.”

Amity, her arm in a sling, walked over to Sleeping Luz.  They had borrowed (see:  _stolen_ ) a potion from Barcus to make Luz sleep. The green-haired witch put her hand on Luz’s head, ruffling it slightly.

“So, what you’re saying is… Luz has no chance of regaining control.” Amity said darkly. Lilith stiffened, crossing her arms, and shook her head.

“There… There’s _got_ to be a _solution_!” Willow shouted, standing up defiantly. Amity looked over, hopelessness written all over her face. 

Gus got up too, raising his fist. “Yeah! We’re gonna save Luz!”

“Your optimism is appreciated, but I don’t see how we can rid of this.” Lilith said, glancing over at Luz sadly.

There was silence except for the quiet purrs coming from Amity petting Luz. No-one said anything.

“Bullshit.”

“Eda!” Lilith gasped. “Language!”  
  


“No, no. That’s bullshit. You know the Witches’ First Law of Divine Magic.” Amity looked up, gasping at Eda’s proclamation. Lilith looked at her guiltily.

“That’s right!” Gus said gleefully. “ _‘With every magic, whether ancient or new, there will always be a counter-spell.’”_

Willow glared at Lilith. “What are you keeping from us?”

Lilith sighed at them both, picking at her dress. “I… It would be impossible. Belos himself would have to let Luz go, and I can’t see that happening, can you?”

There was another silence, but they all knew that they were in agreement. There was no way Belos would willingly let Luz go.

“ _No_.” Amity’s voice was dark, and dangerous. “We will get Luz back. I will slay the entire Emperor’s Coven if that’s what it takes to get her back.”

Eda looked at her, then smiled. “I’m with ya, kid. There is no way Belos is getting my kid. Not now, not _ever_.”

“I know the Belos’ place layout better than anyone here. I’ll go too.”

“And we’re coming too!” Gus and Willow said together. Everyone stared at them. “Right?”  
  


Eda looked at them, pity in her eyes. “Kids, you’ve gotta stay here. Even _with_ my magic, Belos would beat me. It’s risky enough sending me and Lilith there. We-”

Suddenly a shot of sharp light passed right past Eda. She flinched and brought out Owlbert, out of habit. Lilith brought out her own. They turned to see Amity instead of any Coven members.

The young Blight had such a familiarly dark, fierce look in her eyes that Eda stepped back a few steps.

“We _will_ go, and we _will_ get Belos to reverse it.” She told them confidently.

“Yeah!” Gus agreed. Willow gave them a nod, determination in her eyes.

Eda sighed. “I guess… Ugh, me and Lily are gonna need all the help we can get.”

Gus thrust a fist in the air with a distinct _“Yesss!”_

“If you’re gonna need all the help you can get,” Amity said, a cunning look in her eyes, “You’re going to need Edric and Emira.”

Lilith groaned. “Not the _twins_.”

Eda shrugged. “If Lily hates them, then I’m sure I already love ‘em.”

“I do not _hate_ -”

“Enough arguing! Let’s get Edric and Emira, and then we’ll… We’ll rescue Luz!” Willow ordered defiantly. It was enough to shut them up, and they started towards the Blight house.

**Author's Note:**

> me: angstangstangst


End file.
